HFCC welcomes new athletics coaches
HFCC Athletics has hired two new coaches for 2012-13: Larry Gipson is the new volleyball coach and Leslie Williams is the new women’s basketball coach.
Gipson has 21 years experience as a volleyball coach at the high school and community college levels. He was the head volleyball coach at Wayne County Community College (WC3) from 2002 to 2010, where he restarted the program from the ground up. He handled every aspect of the restart, including procurement of equipment, uniforms and scheduling. Under his leadership, 21 players received scholarships to four-year institutions. He was named Eastern Michigan League Coach of the Year in 2005.
Prior to WC3, he was the head volleyball coach at Southfield Lathrup High School in Southfield for three years. He has an associate’s degree in Business Management from Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, and an undergraduate degree in Business Management from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. He lives in Southfield with his wife Brenda.
“I’m looking forward to the challenges of the upcoming season and working with our returning players. The Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) is one of the better community college leagues in the country, and I think HFCC and the administration are positioning themselves to be competitive within that environment. I’m pleased to be a part of Hawks Athletics,” said Gipson.
Williams has more than 20 years of experience coaching basketball at the K-12 and college levels. She started out as the assistant women’s basketball coach at Albion College from 1991-1992. She served as the head coach at Olivet College from 1992-93. Other coaching assignments include the American Youth Basketball Tournament, the Amateur Athletic Union and University High School in Normal, Ill. Most recently, she served as the head coach for the girl’s basketball team for five years at Wayne Memorial High School in Wayne.
Williams played basketball for the University of Michigan (U-M) on a full four-year athletic scholarship. There, she was a four-year letter-winner and a three-year starter. During her senior year, the Wolverines advanced to the second round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Women’s Basketball Tournament. She graduated with an undergraduate degree in General Studies in 1990. Last year, she graduated with an MBA from the University of Phoenix. She lives in Canton with her husband Glen, who played basketball for Adrian College, and their two children.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity to make an impact on the athletic program, develop the student-athletes athletically and academically, and assist on putting HFCC’s athletic program on the map even more,” said Williams.
Williams seeks to implement her 3D (desire, dedication, discipline) philosophy at HFCC, which has provided a solid foundation for successful programs during her coaching stints. Her standards for academic excellence lend to productive student-athletes who make a positive contribution to society. She is an advocate of community service and gives back through her membership in the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
“We are excited to add Coach Gipson and Williams to our talented coaching staff. Both have demonstrated their commitment to developing student-athletes on the court, in the classroom and in the community. I look forward to working with them for many years to come,” said HFCC Athletic Director Rochelle Taylor.